11/10/2013

Intel treats Kenyan girls to a tech date

Intel, an American chipmaker, has launched a countrywide initiative that will see more girls delve into developing apps.

The initiative, otherwise dubbed Akarachix, will take girls
interested in coding through a two-day free training workshop in
Nairobi, Eldoret, Nakuru, Kisumu and Mombasa.
Ms Agatha Gikunda,
Lead for Intel Software and Services Group in East Africa said through
the initiative, the firm hopes to combine the power of technology and
education as an agent of social and economicchange.
“Through the Akarachix initiative, we hope to tap into the power of technology and education in fuelling real change,” she said.

The launch comes a week after Intel Corporation unveiled a new
programme dubbed ‘She Will Connect’ that commits to expanding digital
literacy skills among young women in developing countries.
Intel
will begin the initiative in Africa, where the gender gap is the
greatest, by aiming to reach 5 million women and reduce the gender gap
by 50 per cent. To achieve this, Intel will work with a diverse set of
partners including global and local NGOs and governments.

Training sessions
The
training sessions of the latest programme will be limited to 25 girls
per class. Interested candidates will be required to apply through
www.ihub.co.ke. Dates and venues of the training sessions will be
communicated via the iHub website and Intel Kenya’s twitter handle
@IntelEastAfrica.